The Rage Against The Machine reunion tour stop in Washington, DC is finally here and we are EXCITED to be apart! Dubbed The Public Service Announcement Tour, the reunion was first announced back in 2020, when the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor made news headlines, sparking mass protests worldwide. Simply put… This brought back that toxic distrust in the government captured in RATM’s music. The tour kicks off with Run the Jewels, a hip-hop act including Killer Mike and El-P, both of whom have an out-spoken history in the scene. While seats were still filling in throughout the arena, the lights dimmed and the fans in attendance went wild for this duo’s act.
Rage Against the Machine took the stage with fans roaring; the ground blasting echos to the ceiling above. Absolute electricity filled Capital One Arena as the lights went dark and silhouettes entered the stage. Vocalist Zach de la Rocha was was casted on his right leg and assisted on stage, due to a prior injury to the foot at the first date back on tour. Sadly, Zach was in a stationary position while performing, but this did NOT stop the intensity and showmanship and the crowd sure felt it! Rage got right into their set with ‘Bombtrack’ from their debut album, followed up by “People of the Sun” and a high energy performance of “Bulls on Parade,” both off their sophomore album, 1996’s ‘Evil Empire. The stage was fairly lit, bright white light revealed all band members in between strobes of color. Behind the band, a giant video screen that stretched the entire backdrop which displayed some real life messages. ‘FEAR IS YOUR ONLY GOD’, scrolled text on the screen. Throughout the show, the LED screen revealed current performance footage, political commentary and other other random video recaps addressing current major topics and issues in the United States. This performance was well worth the delay from the pandemic with fans leaving riding a wave of excitement!
Additional hits performed included ‘Testify’, ‘Know Your Enemy’, ‘Guerrilla Radio,’ and the earth shattering of a closer in ‘Killing in the Name.’
Rage Against the Machine’s full setlist below:
Bombtrack
People of the Sun
Bulls on Parade
Bullet in the Head
Testify
Take the Power Back
Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) (Run the Jewels cover with Run the Jewels)
Guerrilla Radio
Down Rodeo
Know Your Enemy
Calm Like a Bomb
Sleep Now in the Fire
Born of a Broken Man
War Within a Breath
The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Freedom
Township Rebellion
Killing in the Name
Enjoy these photos below from the RATM performace on 8/2 in Washington, DC at Capital One Arena!
